We supply abundance information of fish species along multiple randomly oriented transects at the lowest possible taxonomic level. This information is collected from multiple stations on an annual or biennial basis.

We supply habitat characterization data along a single randomly oriented transect at each of 16 sampling stations in the Tortugas South Ecological Reserve. This information is collected from multiple stations on an intermittent or biennial basis.

This is a long term data set collecting visual census transect data on reef fishes at staions located at Rileys Hump, Tortugas South Ecological Reservee.

The research mission was conducted in the Dry Tortugas, FL by National Ocean Service scientists from the Center for Coastal Habitat and Fisheries Research (CCFHR) during 2011 aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster. The overall objective of CCFHR's research in the Tortugas is to examine the effects of implementation of the Tortugas North Ecological Reserve (TNER). The establishment of the TNER, a no-take reserve, in 2001 provided the opportunity to examine the response of the fish and benthic communities to the creation of a refuge for exploited reef fishes. Historically, exploitation of reef fishes in the Tortugas has focused on large predatory reef fishes, primarily snappers and groupers and, to a lesser extent, grunts. Trends in populations of these targeted species are expected to vary relative to geographic variation in fishing mortality (F). Increasing trends in targeted species abundance are expected in the TNER where all fishing was prohibited in 2001. Within adjacent areas managed as the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), where both federally sanctioned commercial and recreational fisheries are permitted, exploited populations are expected to be depressed relative to those in the TNER. Within the Dry Tortugas National Park (DTNP) where fishing effort is limited to recreational hook and line fishing, trends in exploited species are expected to be intermediate to those observed in the TNER and EEZ. Cascading effects due to change in abundance of exploited species is expected to indirectly impact corals and other sessile benthic communities. Sampling to detect reserve implementation effects was conducted at the ecotone between the reef habitat of the banks and the surrounding soft-bottom shelf where the structure and composition of communities should provide sensitive indicators of a reserve effect. Energy flow across reef-sand boundaries is critical to reef communities. Energy and nutrients are imported to the reef by nocturnally foraging reef fish that feed in sand, algae, and seagrass flats adjacent to the reef. The majority of the TNER (approximately 70%) consists of soft-bottom shelf habitat, and previous work on the west Florida shelf suggests that benthic primary production is the major energy source supporting fish biomass. In addition to providing ecologically sensitive sampling locations, the interface between bank and shelf provided a distinct landscape feature suited to a comparative analysis of management impact. Observations were made using 1) a stratified-random survey design for scuba divers visual observations, 2) a systematic survey of fish and fauna using scientific splitbeam echosounders (fisheries sonar) to map fish densities and biomass on the shelf, coral and softbottom habitats.

To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 20110606 to 20110617, reef fish assessment surveys were conducted, as a part of Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA), in the Marianas region by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). 111 REA sites were surveyed at Guam in the Marianas region. At each REA site, fish biologists entered the water and conducted a fine-scale (~700 m^2) and high degree of taxonomic resolution REA survey to assess and monitor species diversity, size distribution, and abundance of fish in shallow-water hard-bottom (less than 30 m) habitats. Reef fish assessment surveys were focused on cataloging the diversity (species richness), abundance (numeric density) and biomass (fish mass per unit area) of diurnally active reef fish assemblages. The stationary point count (SPC) method was used to quantify reef fish species. Two divers lay out a 30 m transect line, and position themselves at the 7.5 and 22.5 meter marks. The SPC biologist then records estimated size and abundance of all fish within a visually estimated 15-m diameter cylinder centered on the stationary diver (7.5-m radius, total area ~ 177m^2 per cylinder). The diver first spends 5 minutes identifying all fish species in the cylindrical area, then proceeds to count and estimate size (total length) for each in a series of "instantaneous" point counts or sweeps of the cylinder. Fish were identified at the species level, wherever possible. All reef-associated fish, including those in the water column, were surveyed. The survey time for each stationary point count survey was approximately 20 min and generally two stationary point count surveys (one per diver) were conducted at each fish REA site. After completing REA surveys, divers noted the presence, at the survey site, of any unusual fish species not counted during SPC counts, in order to facilitate species lists per location.

To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 20110407 to 20110509, reef fish assessment surveys were conducted, as a part of Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA), during the Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise HA1101 in the Marianas region by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). During the cruise, 52 REA sites were surveyed at Guam in the Marianas region. At each REA site, fish biologists entered the water and conducted a fine-scale (~700 m^2) and high degree of taxonomic resolution REA survey to assess and monitor species diversity, size distribution, and abundance of fish in shallow-water hard-bottom (less than 30 m) habitats. Reef fish assessment surveys were focused on cataloging the diversity (species richness), abundance (numeric density) and biomass (fish mass per unit area) of diurnally active reef fish assemblages. The stationary point count (SPC) method was used to quantify reef fish species. Two divers lay out a 30 m transect line, and position themselves at the 7.5 and 22.5 meter marks. The SPC biologist then records estimated size and abundance of all fish within a visually estimated 15-m diameter cylinder centered on the stationary diver (7.5-m radius, total area ~ 177m^2 per cylinder). The diver first spends 5 minutes identifying all fish species in the cylindrical area, then proceeds to count and estimate size (total length) for each in a series of "instantaneous" point counts or sweeps of the cylinder. Fish were identified at the species level, wherever possible. All reef-associated fish, including those in the water column, were surveyed. The survey time for each stationary point count survey was approximately 20 min and generally two stationary point count surveys (one per diver) were conducted at each fish REA site. After completing REA surveys, divers noted the presence, at the survey site, of any unusual fish species not counted during SPC counts, in order to facilitate species lists per location.

To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 20110407 to 20110509, reef fish assessment surveys were conducted, as a part of Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA), during the Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise HA1101 in the Marianas region by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). During the cruise, 19 REA sites were surveyed at Tinian in the Marianas region. At each REA site, fish biologists entered the water and conducted a fine-scale (~700 m^2) and high degree of taxonomic resolution REA survey to assess and monitor species diversity, size distribution, and abundance of fish in shallow-water hard-bottom (less than 30 m) habitats. Reef fish assessment surveys were focused on cataloging the diversity (species richness), abundance (numeric density) and biomass (fish mass per unit area) of diurnally active reef fish assemblages. The stationary point count (SPC) method was used to quantify reef fish species. Two divers lay out a 30 m transect line, and position themselves at the 7.5 and 22.5 meter marks. The SPC biologist then records estimated size and abundance of all fish within a visually estimated 15-m diameter cylinder centered on the stationary diver (7.5-m radius, total area ~ 177m^2 per cylinder). The diver first spends 5 minutes identifying all fish species in the cylindrical area, then proceeds to count and estimate size (total length) for each in a series of "instantaneous" point counts or sweeps of the cylinder. Fish were identified at the species level, wherever possible. All reef-associated fish, including those in the water column, were surveyed. The survey time for each stationary point count survey was approximately 20 min and generally two stationary point count surveys (one per diver) were conducted at each fish REA site. After completing REA surveys, divers noted the presence, at the survey site, of any unusual fish species not counted during SPC counts, in order to facilitate species lists per location.

To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 20110407 to 20110509, reef fish assessment surveys were conducted, as a part of Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA), during the Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise HA1101 in the Marianas region by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). During the cruise, 24 REA sites were surveyed at Rota in the Marianas region. At each REA site, fish biologists entered the water and conducted a fine-scale (~700 m^2) and high degree of taxonomic resolution REA survey to assess and monitor species diversity, size distribution, and abundance of fish in shallow-water hard-bottom (less than 30 m) habitats. Reef fish assessment surveys were focused on cataloging the diversity (species richness), abundance (numeric density) and biomass (fish mass per unit area) of diurnally active reef fish assemblages. The stationary point count (SPC) method was used to quantify reef fish species. Two divers lay out a 30 m transect line, and position themselves at the 7.5 and 22.5 meter marks. The SPC biologist then records estimated size and abundance of all fish within a visually estimated 15-m diameter cylinder centered on the stationary diver (7.5-m radius, total area ~ 177m^2 per cylinder). The diver first spends 5 minutes identifying all fish species in the cylindrical area, then proceeds to count and estimate size (total length) for each in a series of "instantaneous" point counts or sweeps of the cylinder. Fish were identified at the species level, wherever possible. All reef-associated fish, including those in the water column, were surveyed. The survey time for each stationary point count survey was approximately 20 min and generally two stationary point count surveys (one per diver) were conducted at each fish REA site. After completing REA surveys, divers noted the presence, at the survey site, of any unusual fish species not counted during SPC counts, in order to facilitate species lists per location.

To support a long-term NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) for sustainable management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, from 20110407 to 20110509, reef fish assessment surveys were conducted, as a part of Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA), during the Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise HA1101 in the Marianas region by the Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) at the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC). During the cruise, 5 REA sites were surveyed at Alamagan in the Marianas region. At each REA site, fish biologists entered the water and conducted a fine-scale (~700 m^2) and high degree of taxonomic resolution REA survey to assess and monitor species diversity, size distribution, and abundance of fish in shallow-water hard-bottom (less than 30 m) habitats. Reef fish assessment surveys were focused on cataloging the diversity (species richness), abundance (numeric density) and biomass (fish mass per unit area) of diurnally active reef fish assemblages. The stationary point count (SPC) method was used to quantify reef fish species. Two divers lay out a 30 m transect line, and position themselves at the 7.5 and 22.5 meter marks. The SPC biologist then records estimated size and abundance of all fish within a visually estimated 15-m diameter cylinder centered on the stationary diver (7.5-m radius, total area ~ 177m^2 per cylinder). The diver first spends 5 minutes identifying all fish species in the cylindrical area, then proceeds to count and estimate size (total length) for each in a series of "instantaneous" point counts or sweeps of the cylinder. Fish were identified at the species level, wherever possible. All reef-associated fish, including those in the water column, were surveyed. The survey time for each stationary point count survey was approximately 20 min and generally four stationary point count surveys (two per diver) were conducted at each fish REA site. After completing REA surveys, divers noted the presence, at the survey site, of any unusual fish species not counted during SPC counts, in order to facilitate species lists per location.

The research mission was conducted in the Dry Tortugas, FL by National Ocean Service scientists from the Center for Coastal Habitat and Fisheries Research (CCFHR) during 2009 aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster. The overall objective of CCFHR's research in the Tortugas is to examine the effects of implementation of the Tortugas North Ecological Reserve (TNER). The establishment of the TNER, a no-take reserve, in 2001 provided the opportunity to examine the response of the fish and benthic communities to the creation of a refuge for exploited reef fishes. Historically, exploitation of reef fishes in the Tortugas has focused on large predatory reef fishes, primarily snappers and groupers and, to a lesser extent, grunts. Trends in populations of these targeted species are expected to vary relative to geographic variation in fishing mortality (F). Increasing trends in targeted species abundance are expected in the TNER where all fishing was prohibited in 2001. Within adjacent areas managed as the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), where both federally sanctioned commercial and recreational fisheries are permitted, exploited populations are expected to be depressed relative to those in the TNER. Within the Dry Tortugas National Park (DTNP) where fishing effort is limited to recreational hook and line fishing, trends in exploited species are expected to be intermediate to those observed in the TNER and EEZ. Cascading effects due to change in abundance of exploited species is expected to indirectly impact corals and other sessile benthic communities. Sampling to detect reserve implementation effects was conducted at the ecotone between the reef habitat of the banks and the surrounding soft-bottom shelf where the structure and composition of communities should provide sensitive indicators of a reserve effect. Energy flow across reef-sand boundaries is critical to reef communities. Energy and nutrients are imported to the reef by nocturnally foraging reef fish that feed in sand, algae, and seagrass flats adjacent to the reef. The majority of the TNER (approximately 70%) consists of soft-bottom shelf habitat, and previous work on the west Florida shelf suggests that benthic primary production is the major energy source supporting fish biomass. In addition to providing ecologically sensitive sampling locations, the interface between bank and shelf provided a distinct landscape feature suited to a comparative analysis of management impact. Observations were made using 1) a stratified-random survey design for scuba divers visual observations, 2) a systematic survey of fish and fauna using scientific splitbeam echosounders (fisheries sonar) to map fish densities and biomass on the shelf, coral and softbottom habitats.